


My Own Private Gym

by kara-danvers-lena-luthor (Mesk), Mesk



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Slow Burn, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:24:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8887300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mesk/pseuds/kara-danvers-lena-luthor, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mesk/pseuds/Mesk
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: Can you do something like lena goes to gym and see kara and you know...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi or send me prompts on tumblr @kara-danvers-lena-luthor

It’s past time I joined a gym, Lena Luthor thought. Even with all her glamour and beauty, Lena still had to catch her breath every time she went up a couple flights of stair; her slim figure being derived from years of Lillian’s constant nagging of her eating habits, and the demanding hours of being a CEO which, often enough, had Lena forgetting to eat a couple of meals a day.

She decided to take action; Lena had set her alarm for five AM that morning, and after a healthy, but light breakfast, she made her way to a hip little gym downtown National City. It’s true, she could work out at the privacy of her own home with her own personal trainer, but that sounded lonely and boring to Lena. If she had to work out, she was going to try to make it as appealing as possible.

Around 5:45 AM, the CEO of L-Corp was already hard at work at the treadmill; after all, the one thing she really needed to work on was her cardio. _No way in hell I’m kicking it in at age 45 due to a stress-caused heart attack_ , Lena thought, chuckling at herself. 

It was then that she noticed, at the far left corner of the gym, someone who looked familiar. The woman was kneeling on the floor in front of a high pulley machine, hands behind her neck holding the rope. Lena had to confess, this whole exercise thing was not her cup of tea, and she had no idea what the woman was going to do, but she was sure she knew the woman herself. The CEO tried to pay closer attention, noticing the familiar person was wearing yoga pants and a sports bra. _Show off_ , Lena thought to herself, but she couldn’t deny it, the woman had a perfect body, and, “Oh– that’s what she’s doing.” Lena swallowed hard, watching the woman pull on the rope by leaning her torso forward until her elbows touched the floor.

She was working out her abs, Lena realized. Five repetitions of twenty, she counted following each movement. When the woman was done, Lena wanted to avert her eyes, staring was rude and she knew it, but at the same time she wanted to take a good look at the woman’s face, see if she could recognize her.

“Lena!” the cheery voice registered before Lena’s eyes could actually recognize her face. “I didn’t know you come to this gym!”

“Kara!” Lena licked her lips, and chuckled at herself for not recognizing the only friend she had in National City. She pressed the button to stop the treadmill so she could actually speak, and when it came to a full halt, she said, “It’s m-my first day.”

The blonde noticed how out of breath Lena sounded, and she couldn’t help but smile. “You look great,” she said honestly, liking how Lena’s cheeks were a cute shade of pink due to the exercise she had been doing.

“Oh please,” Lena dismissed the comment, “I look like a complete mess. I have no idea what I’m doing, but you-” her intense green eyes roamed down Kara’s figure, noticing the thin layer of sweat covering her abs. Lena bit her lip, and took a deep breath, “You look stunning.”

Kara blushed hard, ducking her head to hide the effect Lena’s words and gaze had on her. Truth be told, it was only her second week at the gym. Alex had lectured her about not knowing how hard it was for the rest of us, “mere mortals” to get into shape, so she had the DEO make a special pair of kryptonite bracelets that lowered Kara’s strength, making her as strong as any other human being.

And Kara loved it. It was exhilarating to feel her muscles straining to pull the weights, and that nice ache she felt the next day only had her craving more.

It was nice to feel human.

Looking back up at Lena when she thought it was safe to do so, Kara smiled and thanked her, “I’d be glad to show you how some of the machines work if you want to.” she offered politely. 

Lena bit her lip again, cocking an eyebrow at Kara as a thousand teasing comments passed though her mind, but she settled for an honest answer instead, “Thank you, Kara, that’s very nice of you, but for these first few days I think I’ll stick to the treadmill. Besides,” Lena smirked, not being able to contain herself, “watching you work out is… quite inspiring.”

Kara’s mouth opened and closed, eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to conciliate Lena’s words with her body language and tone. Letting out an embarrassed little laugh, Kara adjusted her glasses, and finally said, “I-I’m glad I can inspire you.”

Silence settled in as each of them stared at the other, both trying to get a better understanding of the other. After what felt like hours, Kara broke the silence, “Well, I-I gotta keep doing the- uh, m-my workout, but I’ll see around?”

“Definitely.” Lena smiled brightly, an honest smile, and she watched Kara leave, eyes lingering a second too long.

Kara could feel it, she could feel Lena’s gaze on her, but instead of making her embarrassed, Kara found herself reveling in the attention she got from the CEO. This was something she could do well; the lingering gazes without the exchange of words, and the thought of Lena admiring her strength as Kara Danvers– not Supergirl– made Kara want to show off just a tiny bit.

A week went by, and on the days they happened to go to the gym at different times, both women found themselves without much determination to stay too long.

Finally, one night while Kara was getting ready for bed, she made a haste decision; she grabbed her phone and typed an e-mail to Lena.

Hi Lena,  
I know I’m supposed to use this e-mail address for business related  
things, but I don’t have your personal number, and I doubt you’re at  
the office at this hour of the night…  
Anyway, I just wanted to say it’s always fun to be at the gym when you  
are there, and I was wondering if you’d like to go together tomorrow?  
I’ll be there at 5AM.

All the best,  
Kara Danvers.

Ps: this is my cellphone in case you need to reach me. (987) 654-3210

Lena had been laying in bed, reviewing her schedule for the following day when she saw the notification on her tablet. Smiling at the sight of Kara’s name, Lena read the e-mail carefully, and she couldn’t stop her smile from getting bigger.

She grabbed her phone and typed a quick reply:

[Hi, Kara. It’s Lena, this is my  
personal number. I’d be happy  
to join you tomorrow.]

After a second, Lena smirked and decided to add:

[It’s totally ludicrous, but I have my  
own private gym… Maybe one day  
you could come over and show me  
me how to use those machines ;) ]

All the way in her own room, Kara read the second text blushing harder than she ever thought she possible, but she was feeling bold at that moment, so without giving it a second thought, she replied:

[How does tomorrow sound?]

It didn’t take more than a few seconds before her phone buzzed with a reply from Lena.

[Tomorrow sounds perfect! I’ll send  
a car to pick you up at 5.  
See you tomorrow, Miss Danvers.]

Both women fell asleep that night buzzing with excitement, wondering what the morning would bring.


	2. Chapter 2

Kara wasn’t going to lie, the idea of going to Lena’s house and spending an hour or two alone with her was…nerve wrecking. Not only because it was disconcerting to spend so much time with someone who knew both Kara and Supergirl, but not that they were the same person, but also because it was LENA LUTHOR they were talking about! 

Lena, who had so much grace and poise, who kept her emotions perfectly in check, who was the personification of an enigma, who could reduce Kara into a mumbling mess with just a stare. And for all those reasons, Kara found herself awake thirty minutes before her alarm went off. 

National City was as quiet as it ever got this early in the morning which made Kara smile and close her eyes letting the low murmur of the city calm her racing heart. _There’s no reason for me to feel this way_ , she thought, _it’s just Lena. My_ friend _Lena._

When her alarm did go off at 4:30 AM, Kara floated off bed and got dressed; dark green yoga pants, and black sports bra. Looking at herself in the mirror Kara blushed slightly, her choice in clothing was deliberate ever since she had noticed the way Lena looked at her when they first met at the gym. The way she looks at me makes me feel powerful, Kara thought to herself, Nothing wrong with that…

After eating her breakfast, Kara brushed her teeth and headed downstairs to wait for Lena’s driver. At precisely 5 AM a car pulled over, the driver’s window rolling down, “Miss Danvers?” the man asked with a smile.

“Yes, that’s me.” Kara returned the smile and got in the car.

Meanwhile, Lena was just finishing up her cup of coffee before putting on her clothes and brushing her teeth. She had woken up just as early as Kara, but the silence and stillness of her house disquieted Lena, forcing her to get up and go over some new e-mails before she got ready.

She had been lounging on the couch when the front door opened, “Lena?” Kara’s voice was soft, eyes darting from side to side to try to find her host in the spacious room. 

Lena got up from the couch, smiling brightly at her friend, “Kara! I’m so happy you could come.” she said, opening the door wider and ushering Kara in. “Please, make yourself at home.”

Kara stepped further into the leaving room, eyes trying to take everything in; all the paintings, the sculptures, the fancy furniture and appliances. “Wow…” she heard herself saying.

Lena chuckled at Kara’s reaction, “Now imagine being four, never having had a room for yourself, and walking into a place ten times fancier than this.”

Kara turned her attention back to Lena when she heard her say that. Her expression must have been showing exactly what was on her mind, because Lena waved her hand, saying, “Please, don’t feel sorry for me. I did end up growing up with all of this at my disposal.” Even if came at a price… Lena thought, but left it unsaid.

Kara lowered her head, but quickly looked back at Lena with a bright smile. “You have a lovely home, Lena. My apartment is nowhere near as fancy, but one day you should come by and check out my art work… that I make myself.” Kara chuckled, clearly making a joke, because how could she compare the paintings she did with the master pieces in Lena’s home? But Lena lit up at the idea.

“I’d love to!” She said starting to lead the way to the gym. “Do you sculpt or paint?”

Kara followed Lena, walking by her side. “I paint, but I-I was only joking… I mean, I love painting, but it’s nothing compared to what you have here.”

“Nonsense,” Lena smirked at her, “I’d love to see what goes on in your mind.” She stopped in front of the double doors at the end of the corridor they had been walking, and turned around to fully face Kara, “If you paint with the same passion and honesty you write, I know your work is beautiful.”

Kara blushed, and ducked her head, stammering as she tried to find the right words to reply, but Lena didn’t let her suffer for too long, the CEO opened the doors, showing Kara her workout room.

“Whaaat….” Kara gasped as she walked in, spinning around once to look at all the equipment. “H-How… Lena, this is–”

“Ridiculous.” Lena deadpanned.

“I was going to say amazing! Why did you even pay to go to that gym?” Kara wondered as she tried to decide what they were going to do first. 

Lena shrugged, walking around Kara to lean against one of the machines. “This house is too big and it’s just me here… sometimes it gets lonely.”

Kara offered Lena a soft smile, and then she smirked, making Lena utterly confused. “I don’t think I’ve seen you smirk before.” The brunette looked behind her to try to find what was so amusing to Kara. “What is it?” 

Taking another step toward Lena, Kara said, “I just realized something,” she paused for effect, making Lena squint her eyes at her. “I’m taller than you.”

Both women laughed, the sound seeming almost foreign to Lena, she couldn’t remember when it was the last time she had laughed like that. “I couldn’t work out in heels, you know.” she said standing up straight and squaring her shoulders. Her poise was back, that air of superiority intoxicating to Kara whether she realized it or not. “But don’t let it go to your head, Miss Danvers, I have other qualities that make up for it.” Lena said in that suggestive way that always made Kara blush.

Kara took a deep breath to will herself to stop blushing, and a good come back suddenly presented itself and she blurted it out before she thought too much about it, “Well, Miss Luthor, keep the bravado for as long as you can, because soon enough I’ll have you all sweaty and grunting on these machines.”

Lena immediately smirked and raised an eyebrow at her friend, and when it finally clicked in Kara’s mind how that had sounded, she said, “Oh…” And Lena burst out laughing again.

“I-I’m sorry, Kara.” Lena managed to say while she tried to contain her laughter. “I’m sorry, but that was adorable!”

Kara scrunched up her face, and huffed, “It wasn’t meant to be adorable!” she said with a little whine.

Finally having managed to stop laughing, Lena took a deep breath and recomposed herself. “Oh?” she said, stepping closer to Kara, “Did you mean it how it sounded? Because I wasn’t expecting that kind of workout…”

That had Kara flustered all over again, “How do you do that???” she groaned in frustration.

Lena shook her head, body relaxing, “Believe me, you don’t want to learn how to do this.” She looked away from Kara, taking the opportunity to walk to another spot in the room. “I’d prefer if everybody was as kindhearted and honest as you.” 

The thought of Lena finding out she had been lying to her all this time about who she is made Kara lower her head and bit her lip. She needed to change the subject. “Um, h-how about we start this workout session, huh?” Kara offered, a bright smile appearing on her lips.

“Right!” Lena returned the smile, but it quickly turned into smirk, “As long as you promise to leave me all sweaty and grunting…”

“LENA!!” Kara whined.


	3. Chapter 3

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry, I’m done.” Lena said, a smile still present on her lips. “Please, show me how everything works. Who knows, maybe in a year I’ll be as strong as Supergirl.” She joked, winking at Kara.

“Ha!” The reporter let out a little awkward laugh as she fidgeted with her glasses. “Th-That would be something!” More awkward laughter, hands going all over the place as she moved around to distract Lena, “If-if I could train you like that, I could sell workout videos and get rich…” Kara turned her back to Lena, face scrunching up as if she was asking herself what the heck was that?!

But Kara composed herself and turned back around. “Alright! First of all, warm up!” Her voice was cheery again, her smile as bright as the sun. “Come on, Lena, let me see you touch your toes!”

Lena groaned, making a face at Kara, “God, I hated PE…” but she still complied, bending over at the hips trying to touch her toes only for her hands to stop right below her knees.

“Wow, Miss Luthor that’s…sad.” Kara teased, marveling at finally having the upper hand on Lena.

The CEO fixed Kara with a dangerous stare, but her teasing smile canceled any menace Kara might have felt, “Careful, Miss Danvers, it’s never a good idea to make fun of a Luthor.”

The words should have made Kara shrink, but she saw past Lena’s bravado, the test was right there in front of her: react or say something wrong and Lena would never be the same with her again.

“Oh shush!” Kara said, waving her off. “As if your name is scary… I see you, Lena Luthor, all bark and no bite.” Kara didn’t know where the words were coming from, but she realized a second too late that she was standing with her hands on her hips, the signature Supergirl pose.

Lena raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her friend. “You know, when you talk like that you almost sound like Supergirl.”

Kara fidgeted with her glasses, “Y-You’re just saying that because you want to get out of exercising.” Kara briefly turned her back to Lena to take a deep breath, when she turned around she was all smiles again. “C'mon, sit down, I’m going to help you stretch.”

Lena chuckled and did what she was told, sitting with her legs crossed.

“Nope, legs straight in front of you.” Kara guided.

“I didn’t know you could be this bossy…” Lena said in a low, husky tone.

But the innuendo flew past Kara’s head as she re-positioned herself behind Lena, “If you think I’m bossy, you should see my older sister…”

Lena shook her head, but grinned at Kara, “Yeah? Tell me, is she single?”

_What?_ Kara thought, eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to understand what had just happened. “Umm… kinda… I mean, yes, yes she is. Wh-Why?”

Lena turned around to face Kara, a curious expression on her face as she tried to understand why the question had flustered Kara. Slowly, a small smile appeared on her lips, and without her permission a little flame was lit inside her; maybe Kara was into girls too… maybe Kara could be with someone like her. But Lena didn’t acknowledged those thoughts, instead she said calmly, “I was just teasing you, Kara.” But suddenly a depressing thought crossed her mind, and she averted her eyes from her friend, “Why? You wouldn’t like your sister dating a Luthor, is that it?”

“What? No!” Kara immediately replied, kneeling beside Lena. “No, no, no. It’s not like that, anyone would be lucky to date you, I mean, have you seen yourself? B-But, you just caught me off guard…” Kara babbled, “I-I didn’t know you were into girls, that’s all.” That wasn’t entirely a lie, Kara had really been surprised, but what had really caught her off guard was the cold feeling she got in her stomach at the thought of Lena dating anyone.

“Is that a problem?” Lena asked, her voice still low, and in a rare display of her true feelings, Kara could see that Lena was afraid of losing her only friend in National City.

“No!” Kara hurried to say. “Of course not. M-My sister recently came out to me and it kinda opened my eyes?” Kara chuckled to herself, lowering her head as she felt her cheeks getting warmer. “My whole life I struggled to fit in, you know? New family, new place…it felt like I needed to get used to a whole new planet…” Kara fidgeted with her fingertips, knowing that she was about to open up about something she hadn’t even discussed with Alex yet. “I devoted every ounce of my being into accepting and following ‘the rules’, whether they were actual rules or just social expectations… So it never crossed my mind that I could do that… that I could be with girls too and it wouldn’t be wrong, that I wouldn’t be less normal…”

Lena reached out and gently placed her hand over Kara’s, squeezing it a little. “Thank you for trusting me, Kara. It means more than you know.”

Kara squeezed Lena’s hand back, giving her friend a warm smile.

“Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook, we’re still working out today!” She said after a second, shaking her head to will away the unshed tears in her eyes. “C'mon, legs straight.” Kara said, moving to kneel behind Lena once more. “Is it okay if I touch you?” At Lena’s nod, Kara placed her hands on Lena’s back and gently started to push her friend’s torso forward.

That earned a grunt from Lena, who bit her lip to stop the curse words threatening to spill out.

Kara put Lena through a series of stretches before she finally stopped and asked, “Alright! What part of your body would you like to work out first?”

The CEO considered the question for a second, but then a smirk tugged at her lips and she replied with a question of her own, “What part of a woman’s body do you find most attractive?”

“I-I…” Kara stuttered, and swallowed hard; she had never been asked that before. “I guess what I find most attractive you don’t need to change a thing– N-Not that you need to change anything!” Oh no, what had she just said???

At Lena’s cocked eyebrow and questioning gaze, Kara found it hard to think. “Their f-face… specially their eyes…”

That was definitely not the answer she had expected, but how could she have thought Kara would say anything other than that? She was sweet and romantic, of course she would love the intensity and honesty you could find in someone’s eyes. “You like my eyes?” Lena almost flinched at how small and vulnerable her voice sounded, and as if to make up for it, she squared her shoulders and stepped closer to Kara.

The reporter couldn’t look away; as hard as Lena tried, she couldn’t mask the whirlwind of emotions going on in her clear green eyes. 

And it took Kara’s breath away. “O-Of course I do, Lena.”

Lena was about to say something, but she seemed to think better of it at the last second, instead choosing to close her mouth and look away. “I like strong arms and back…” She said after a second, her features completely under control again. A little smirk and she continued, “I like being picked up in…mm…intimate moments. And unfortunately not many girls can do that.”

It was clear to Kara that Lena needed to change the subject, and this whole abrasive act was her defense mechanism; but still, the words send Kara’s imagination where it shouldn’t have gone. Blushing hard, the blonde adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. She was about to suggest they started working at one of the machines when, at the corner of her eyes, she spotted a punching bag. “Wait!” she was beaming once more. “I could teach you a little bit about fighting! Or, well, at least how to throw a few good punches without breaking your wrist.” Kara chuckled, “It’s way more interesting than the machines!”

“You…fighting?” Lena squinted her eyes at Kara, “That sounds wildly out of character, Miss Danvers.” she said, sounding more intrigued than put off by the idea. 

“M-My sister is an FBI agent, remember? She didn’t want me being out in the world without knowing how to defend myself. She’s been training me for a while now, and I gotta admit, it’s pretty empowering.”

Lena thought it over for a second or two. “Alright, it does sound better than these dreadful machines.” Shaking her head in disbelief at what they were about to do, Lena grinned as she made her way closer to the punching bag. “Show me how it’s done, Miss Danvers.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Alright!!” Kara said excitedly, running over to where Lena was standing on the mat. “Can you copy my stance?” She asked, as she moved her feet apart, -left foot in front of the right one- knees slightly bent, and her fists in front of her face with the elbows tucked in.

Lena did her best to mimic the stance, “How does it look?” she asked, waiting for Kara’s approval.

“Looks good, but-” Kara stepped closer to Lena, gently correcting some minor things with her hands’ positioning, and then moved behind her, putting her hands on Lena’s waist. “You need to spread your legs just a little bit more…” she said absentmindedly, as she used her own foot to push Lena’s feet apart until she was satisfied.

When Kara finally moved back to stand in front of her, she noticed her friend was blushing slightly. “What?” she asked, already feeling her own cheeks getting warmer.

“Nothing… You’re just very cute.” Lena said easily, as if she was simply stating a fact. She didn’t want to explain how she found it completely adorable that Kara could say things that would sound like an innuendo coming from anyone else, but from her there never seemed to be any ambiguity. 

Kara thought her face was catching on fire, “C-Cute? M-Me?” she fixed her glasses, chuckling in embarrassment, “I-I’m not cute…”

Lena raised an eyebrow at her friend, “You’re right, you’re not just cute.” She smirked. “I could use other adjectives, but I’m afraid if I do, you might spontaneously combust.”

Kara huffed and tried to pull a serious face, “I’m just not used to people looking at me like that and being so blunt about it.”

Lowering her arms, Lena bit her lip; her eyes showing signs of concern. “If it makes you uncomfortable, I can stop. I’m sorry, Kara… It’s just… a bad behavior that I picked up a long time ago… But don’t worry, I’ll stop.” 

Kara groaned internally. How could she explain to Lena that she wasn’t uncomfortable with it, not when it came from Lena at least, but that she is just a socially awkward person who doesn’t know how to deal with any kind of compliment or friendly banter if they are a little more…risqué?

“I…” Kara took a deep breath, lowering her head to fidget with the special bracelets Alex had gotten for her. “I-I don’t want you to stop…” 

She had spoken so low, Lena could barely hear her voice. “I’m sorry, Kara, what did you say?”

Another deep breath, and Kara found enough strength to look Lena in the eye, “I don’t want you to stop… I just have never been good at coming up with comebacks…” _Okay, that wasn’t so bad_ , Kara thought, letting out a sigh of relief. 

Lena gave Kara her brightest and most genuine smile, “Okay.” She bit her lip again, trying to think of something to alleviate the tension. “How about a deal? If I make you too flustered, I’ll let you get back at me by kicking my ass or by making me do push-ups or something.” Lena chuckled.

Kara smiled warmly at Lena, knowing what her friend had just done. “Thank you, Lena.” And she meant it, but then Kara smirked and said, “But I don’t need you to let me kick your butt, I can do it on my own.”

“Miss Danvers!” Lena gasped jokingly, “Is that boasting I hear?? I am shocked!” She said, squinting her eyes at Kara in that way that screamed challenge, “I have to say, Kara, I still doubt you could take me down…”

“Really?” Kara’s smile was still the same, but there was a different gleam in her eyes; something that told Lena she was about to find out exactly how strong Kara Danvers could be. “Tuck your chin in.” The reporter commanded.

Lena seemed confused, but she got in her fighting stance and complied anyway.

“Do you really wanna find out if I can take you down?” Kara grinned; now it was her who was challenging Lena.

The CEO smirked, and nodded. Before she knew what was happening, Kara was grabbing her shirt with both hands, as her foot swept Lena’s feet from under her body. She felt herself being tugged up and over Kara’s back, only to land with a dry thud on the mat. 

“Owww…” Lena whined, making Kara panic, thinking the bracelets were malfunctioning and that she had in fact hurt her friend. 

“Lena! Are you okay?” she asked, kneeling down next to her.

Kara caught a flash of a smirk, and she felt herself being pulled to the mat, as Lena maneuvered to straddle her. “Ah ha! Being sneaky can also do the trick, Miss Danvers.”

Lena’s smile became softer as she noticed how Kara’s cheeks were turning pink. Her eyes roamed down her friend’s body, and suddenly Lena knew she didn’t want to call Kara just her friend anymore.

Without realizing it, Kara placed her hands on Lena’s thighs, and she couldn’t help but think how right it felt to have Lena on top of her like that. Soft fingertips brushed the sides of her face and she finally noticed her glasses were being taken off. 

Kara panicked- 

“I-I-I should get g-going!” Kara reached up quickly to pull her glasses back down.

Lena bit her lip, and tried to mask the hurt in her eyes as she moved off Kara. “Yeah, sure.” she said, forcing a smile. “Kara, I’m sorry if I was out of li-”

“No, no, no, it’s not that… I just, I… I really gotta go. Um, I forgot I had to start early today at work…” Kara winced at the lie, but she didn’t know how else to explain why she was leaving; she couldn’t just say ‘I need to leave before you see me without my glasses and figure out I’m supergirl!’.

“Okay, no problem.” Lena got on her feet, and looked at Kara trying to keep her smile in place. “I’ll have the car ready to take you back.”

Three minutes later Kara was walking out of Lena’s house, “I’ll see around?” she asked.

“Yes, of course!” Lena replied with what Kara could now tell was a fake smile. But without knowing what else to do or say, Kara said said goodbye and left. 

As soon as the door closed, Lena let her tears fall, wondering if she had just messed everything up.


	5. Chapter 5

During the entire ride back to her place, Kara had been trying not to cry. She felt like she didn’t have the right to do that in Lena’s car, it was a weird thing to think, but she couldn’t explain her thought process even if she tried.

Fishing her cellphone out of her bag, Kara shot Alex a text message saying, ‘Please, wake up. I’m flying over, I need to talk something over with you.’

After being dropped off at her apartment building, Kara bolted up the stairs and changed into her Supergirl suit so she could fly over to Alex’s place. 

Getting into her sister’s apartment through an open window, she called softly, “Alex?” Her voice already starting to break.

“Hey,” Alex yawned, walking out of her bedroom still wearing her pajamas, rubbing the sleep off her eyes. “What’s u-” Before Alex could finish her question, she felt Kara pulling her into a tight hug. 

The moment Alex felt Kara start sobbing, she frowned, but instead of asking what was wrong, she just held her sister, rubbing small gentle circles on her back and whispering reassurances that everything would be okay.

A few minutes later, Kara had calmed down enough to talk. “Please don’t get angry at me…” she started, making Alex increasingly confused, “..I-I think I like Lena.” 

“Oh.” Things were starting to make sense now. “Come here.” she said softly, guiding Kara to the couch. “What happened to make you think that? I mean…what made you realize that you have feelings for her?” Alex asked, gently holding her sister’s hand.

Kara tried to dry her tears as she thought about it, but they just kept falling. It took a little while before she tried to voice her thoughts, “I-I guess I’ve always known on some level?” Kara said tentatively, and when she got an understanding nod from Alex, she continued, “The way she looks at me… it makes me feel so special, Alex, because she sees me, you know?” 

Looking out the window, Kara bit her lip and took her time to think about everything that had happened that week. After a few moments in silence, Kara felt her cheeks beginning to get warm as she said, “I met her at the gym about a week ago, and I noticed her checking me out, and I…kinda…started showing off…” She ducked her head to avoid Alex’s amused gaze. “It felt so good to see someone as elegant and powerful as Lena admiring me. The real me, not Supergirl…”

Alex took a deep breath and asked quietly, keeping her voice void of any judgement, “Why did you think I was going to get angry at you?”

“Because she’s a Luthor and I’m a Super, and I know you don’t trust her.” Kara said in one breath, feeling tears starting to well up in her eyes again. “Today we were working out together at her place… We were taunting each other, well, she teased me more than I teased her, and she said she doubted I could take her down in a fight–”

“Woah, woah, Kara, breathe.” Alex chuckled, looking at her sister with nothing but love in her eyes. “You didn’t actually beat her, right?”

Kara huffed, but couldn’t help the little chuckled that escaped her lips. “No, Alex, I didn’t beat her up.” she said, rolling her eyes. “…But I did use one of the take-downs you taught me…”

“Kara!!!” Alex gasped, “Don’t tell me you accidentally fell on top of her like in one of those romantic movies you always force me to watch!” she tease, raising an eyebrow at Kara.

“Well, no… but she pretended to be injured so I would kneel down to check on her, and when I did, she flipped me down and straddled me…” Okay, talking about that with Alex was definitely too embarrassing.

“Ew, way more details than a big sister needs to hear.” Alex said, making a face at Kara.

But there was one last detail Kara needed to discuss with her sister, so she pushed all the embarrassment aside, and said, “When she was…when we were…like that on the mat… Lena tried to take off my glasses to kiss me… And I panicked. I didn’t want her to find out I’m Supergirl…” The tears were threatening to fall again. “I really think I hurt her feelings, Alex. What do I do??”

Alex squeezed Kara’s hand trying to comfort her sister. “Kara, honey, the first thing you need to do is stop feeling bad when people get upset when you don’t reciprocate their feelings toward you– I know, I know, this is not the case, I know you’re feeling something for Lena, but I know you, Kara. I know that if you didn’t feel the same for her, you’d still be here crying about it, and in part that’s what makes you so special, because you care so much about people, but you need to take care of your own heart first, okay?”

Kara bit her lip and nodded even though she doubted she would change any time soon.

“Alright, now, let me just ask you something: why didn’t you want Lena to figure out who you are? Because you were afraid of how J’onn and I would react, or you didn’t want her to find out because she’s a Luthor?” Alex asked, knowing whatever the answer was would help Kara figure out what she needed to do next.

Kara thought it over, “I didn’t want to let you and J’onn down again, I know you guys think I can’t keep my identity a secret… And I didn’t want to disappoint you by dating someone you don’t trust…”

Tilting her head and giving her sister a soft smile, Alex said, “J’onn and I just want to protect you, but-” she took a deep breath and looked like she was about to regret saying whatever was coming out of her mouth next, “but even though we have the best of intentions at heart, it doesn’t mean we can’t be wrong. It’s rare, mind you, but possible.” Alex grinned when she saw the tiniest of smiles starting to form on Kara’s lips. “Look, you say you trust her, so I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. If she hurts you and proves you wrong, then she’ll have to deal with two angry Danvers and a very protective and powerful Martian.”

Kara pulled Alex into another tight hug, whispering thank you, over and over again. “You deserve to be happy, Kara.” Alex said, pulling back slightly. “And like you told once, go get the girl.”

Around noon that day, Kara knocked at Lena’s door and walked in after receiving the go-ahead from the CEO.

“Kara,” Lena smiled politely. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.” Even though Lena sounded as welcoming as she had always been, Kara could see the small changes in her posture, making Lena look a little stiff.

Biting her lip, and quickly adjusting her glasses, Kara said, “I feel really bad about this morning.”

“Oh.” For the first time in what felt like years, Lena Luthor found herself not knowing what to do. “I’m not used to people coming back…” She said barely above a whisper, thinking the best thing she could do was to be honest with Kara. “Once people run away from me, they don’t usually come back.”

“I-I wasn’t running away from you!” Kara rushed, stepping closer to Lena, “I just needed time to sort out some…um…” Kara blushed and looked down at her feet, “…some feelings.”

Lena let out a sigh in relief, and it felt like she could finally breathe again. “Feelings, huh?” She smiled tentatively at Kara, taking a step closer to her. 

When Kara looked up she realized how close they actually were at that point. She swallowed hard and nodded, “Yes, feelings… good feelings.” she returned the smile, as her eyes admired every curve and edge on Lena’s face, only to end up lost in Lena’s intense, yet soft green eyes.

If it weren’t for the faint sound of sirens that her super-hearing had picked up, Kara was sure she could have spent hours just like that, admiring the beauty in front of her. “I-I need to get back to work, but I was wondering…” she fixed her glasses again, smiling shyly at Lena, “I was wondering if you’d like to try it again tomorrow morning? Um, w-working out, I mean. W-Would you like to work out again tomorrow?” 

The way Kara tripped over her words had Lena smiling at her in such a sweet way that it made the reporter blush harder. “I would love that, Kara. Same time?”

Kara nodded, her smile bright enough to light up a room, “But I won’t need to be picked up.” And before Lena could insist, Kara said, “Really, Lena, I’ll find my way, it won’t be a problem.”

Lena bit her lip and nodded, “I’ll see you in the morning, Miss Danvers.”


	6. Chapter 6

The following morning Lena found herself tossing and turning in bed before her alarm went off. She was a ball of anxiety to say the least. _Why even bother to start this….thing with Kara if you’re going to mess it up soon enough? She won’t stay when she sees the ugliness in a Luthor’s life…_ Lena thought, before huffing and getting up from her bed.

“Enough of this.” She told herself. “You are your own person…” Lena muttered, closing her eyes. “Luthor doesn’t need to mean something bad forever.”

Sighing, she made her way to the bathroom to start getting ready. About thirty minutes later, Lena sat on the couch in the living room to wait for Kara.

She was completely lost in her own thoughts when she heard the doorbell ring. Lena would have been embarrassed if anyone had seen her sprinting to open the door. “Kara!” She grinned, greeting the reporter. “Please, come in.” Lena said, stepping away to let her in.

Kara did as she was told, walking inside the house feeling more awkward than ever. _She knows, now she knows I have feelings for her,_ Kara thought, _how do I act? Should I act differently?_

But Kara was brought back to the present when she felt Lena’s hand on her shoulder. “I don’t know if you had time to have breakfast, would you like to eat something first? Or would you prefer to go straight to the gym?”

Kara felt like her cheeks were on fire, but she gave Lena a bright smile, replying, “I’ve had breakfast, thank you. I think we can get started if that’s okay with you.”

Lena returned the smile and nodded. She was tempted to hold Kara’s hand as they walked toward the workout room, but she bit her lip and thought better of it, deciding it would be better to let Kara set their pace.

The silence that settled between felt tense, charged with all the unsaid words from both parties, but Kara couldn’t stop smiling, because today was the day she would tell Lena the truth about herself.

Once they were in the room, Kara dropped her bag and pulled off the jacket she had been wearing. She could feel Lena’s eyes on her, but when she turned around the CEO looked away, blushing slightly.

Chuckling to herself, Kara said, “C'mon lazy pants, time to warm up.”

Lena didn’t know what she had been expecting, but actually working out wasn’t it. Still, she smiled at Kara, saying, “Okay, what warm ups should I do?”

Kara instructed Lena, showing her a few stretches until she thought they both had had enough. “Alright,” she said moving towards the punching bag, “yesterday I told you I’d teach you how to throw a good punch so that’s what we’re going to start with.”

Biting her lip, Lena stepped closer to the reporter, looking deep into her eyes. “Kara, are we going to talk about what happened yesterday?” She asked softly, feeling completely vulnerable again.

Kara fidgeted with her glasses; Lena’s closeness making her heart beat faster. “I-I promise, we will… I just-” she ducked her head for a second before looking at Lena again. “I just need a little bit of time, is that okay?”

“Yes, of course.” Lena smiled brightly. “All right, show me how to be a badass.” She said, facing the punching bag.

Sighing in relief at Lena’s reaction, Kara grinned at her and moved to stand by her side. “Okay, so the first thing you need to know about punching is that you have to keep your wrist and your forearm aligned, like this-” Kara gently held Lena’s arm, showing how her fist should be.

It was such a simple touch, but it still managed to make Kara blush while Lena admired her. “Keep your fist like that while you’re punching, and you won’t hurt yourself.” Kara said, sighing as she let go of Lena.

“Now, the second thing you need to know is that it doesn’t really matter how big your muscles are, if you don’t put your body into it, it’s not going to be an effective punch.” Kara said, repeating what Alex had told her a while ago when they first started training in the green room.

That earned a curious glance from Lena, who cocked an eyebrow at the reporter. “Care to demonstrate, Miss Danvers?” Her voice was in that low drawl that sent shivers down Kara’s spine.

“I-I…” Kara found it hard to look away from Lena’s hypnotizing gaze. “S-Sure.” She said, reluctantly turning her attention to the bag. “What kind of instructor would I be if I didn’t show you.” She let out a little awkward laugh.

“Look, this is a weak punch.” Kara said, throwing the first hit. It barely made the bag sway. “Don’t get me wrong, these kind of punches have their own use, but they are not what you’d like to do if what you need is to try to knock someone out. Now this-” Kara said, flashing a little smug smile, “is how you want to do it.” Kara threw the jab, stepping into the bag’s space, her entire upper body moving along with the punch.

Lena’s jaw dropped; if she was being completely honest, until that very moment she had doubted Kara was going to be able to move the bag,- not because she thought Kara was weak, but because it was hard to imagine her doing something as aggressive as throwing a punch like that- but Lena now stared in complete shock as the punching bag swayed back and forth.

“You are full of surprises, aren’t you?” Lena asked with a smirk, making Kara trip on her own feet.

“N-No!! …I mean, I…” Kara fixed her glasses again, chuckling awkwardly until she remembered she didn’t have to lie anymore. Taking a deep breath, Kara moved closer to Lena and looked into her eyes, “Yesterday, when I ran out, it wasn’t because…”

“Because I was about to kiss you?” Lena offered with a small smile when she realized Kara was too flustered to finish the sentence.

“Yes, that.” Kara grinned, feeling her heart beat faster than she ever thought possible. “I wanted you to, believe me, I still want it a lot…” her eyes drifted to Lena’s lip for a second before she forced them to meet her eyes again. “But before we do anything like that, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Kara stepped back, and holding Lena’s gaze, she pulled off the elastic band that had been holding her hair in a ponytail, and she slowly removed her glasses. “D-Do I remind you of anyone?”

Lena had been staring at Kara in confusion, wondering what secret she could possibly have to send Kara running like that. But as she watched Kara’s golden hair frame her face, things slowly started to click into place. By the time the glasses came off, there was no more doubt in Lena’s mind.

“…It can’t be…” she whispered; eyes widening as her hands shot up to cover her mouth.

Kara looked down at her feet, saying barely above a whisper, “I really like you, Lena… and I didn’t want anything to start between us while I kept a secret this big from you. It wouldn’t be right… And I trust you-" Kara was cut off when she felt Lena pulling her into a tight hug.

There were so many thoughts running through Lena’s mind, she didn’t even know where to start, but before she realized it, tears were falling from her eyes. 

Kara frowned, worrying she had done the wrong thing somehow, but the way Lena tightened her grip on her made all her self doubt disappear. “It’s okay…” the blonde whispered softly, “I’m right here… I’m not going anywhere…”

It took a few moments, but Lena finally calmed down enough to pull away from Kara. She looked slightly embarrassed, hands rushing to dry her tears. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean for that to happen…”

“Hey,” Kara’s voice was gentle and warm, “It’s okay… It’s a big thing to process…” Kara bit her lip, and asked, “B-But, um, just so we’re on the- uh, the same page here, you know I was trying to say that I’m Supergirl, right?”

That made Lena laugh and shake her head in disbelief, “Yes, Kara. I guess it was always right there for me to see, I mean, you did say you flew to my office-”

“On a bus.” they both said it in unison, making each other laugh again.

“I’ve been told I’m not the best at keeping my identity a secret.” Kara said, blushing a little. 

That made Lena pause and sigh. “Sit with me?” she asked, taking Kara’s hand and gently pulling her down until they were sitting on the mat. “The reason why I started crying…” Lena said, fidgeting with her shoelaces to avoid looking into Kara’s eyes, “…is because before you arrived this morning all I could think about was how you’re too good for me… I kept thinking you were going to run off as soon as you realized how bad my family actually is, because sometimes you can know about something, but unless it directly affects you, you can’t really comprehend it… Like watching the news on TV about a tornado destroying a city on the other side of the planet; you’re still sad, but you can’t really feel their pain…” Lena tried to explain. “Kara Danvers could never understand the pain the Luthors have inflicted on the world…on Superman… But Supergirl, she sees that evil, she fights it every day…” 

Lena was startled by the feeling of Kara gently taking her hand, but at the same time it helped her relax a little. “I started crying, because I never thought anyone would be able to see me past the Luthor name… But if Kara Danvers and Supergirl trust me, then I must be making the right choices.” Lena finally smiled again, and Kara thought her heart would actually beat so fast it would stop.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, but finally, when Lena noticed Kara staring at her lips, she smiled wider, asking barely above a whisper, “Is it…is it okay if I kiss you?”

A little gasp escaped Kara’s lips at the question; but slowly her smile matched Lena’s and she nodded. “Yes,” she breathed out, almost desperately. “Please…”


	7. Chapter 7

Lena closed the gap between them, lips softly touching Kara’s at first; it was a simple touch, but it made both their hearts skip a beat. 

They pulled back for just a second to look at each other, and seeing the smile that neither of them could contain, Lena’s free hand moved up to Kara’s neck, pulling her into another kiss.

They stayed like that, sitting side by side, kissing softly and gently for the longest time; all Kara could think about was how Lena’s lips were the softest lips she had ever kissed, while Lena tried to remember if kissing someone had ever felt this right.

But still, the way they were seated was starting to make things uncomfortable for Lena’s neck. She pulled back for a second, causing Kara to open her eyes in confusion, and making a bold move, Lena slowly moved to straddle the reporter’s lap. 

“Is this okay?” The CEO asked, noticing how hard Kara was blushing, “I just find it this way a little more comfortable…” 

Nodding a little more enthusiastically than what would have been considered cool, Kara breathed out, “Yes!” and her hands instinctively wrapped around Lena’s waist.

Lena couldn’t contain her smile, and she was pretty sure Kara could hear how fast her heart was beating. With arms gently wrapped around Kara’s neck, she closed her eyes and leaned in, resting her forehead on Kara’s. “Is this really happening?” Lena asked in a whisper, “Or am I dreaming?”

Kara thought she could stay like that forever; feeling Lena’s weight on top of her, her closeness calming a part of Kara that she didn’t even know existed until then. With her own eyes closed, she replied with a smile, “It’s real, I’m right here.” But a second later a thought occurred to her, making Kara’s smile turn into a little smirk. “Why, Miss Luthor, have you dreamed about me a lot?”

Lena chuckled, pulling back to look at Kara, “I set myself up for that one, didn’t I?” When Kara bit her lip and nodded, Lena smirked, leaning in to whisper in her ear, “Are you sure you want to know the answer?”

Kara shivered at the feeling of Lena’s breath on her ear, but instead of answering right away, she unlocked her bracelets, letting them fall to the ground before wrapping her arms around Lena’s waist again. “Yes,” Kara whispered back, gently pushing her feet down so she could start levitating with Lena on her lap. “Tell me about your dreams…” 

However, as soon as Lena felt her body shifting and felt what she could only describe as lack of gravity, she opened her eyes and squealed, tightening her grip on Kara. “I kind of forgot for a second there that you can actually fly.” she muttered, looking at the floor.

Chuckling, Kara eased them down until her feet were touching the ground again. “You mentioned yesterday that you like it when your partner can pick you up…” A smug little smile appeared on her lips, “…that won’t be a problem for me.” she said, moving forward until Lena’s back touched the nearest wall.

Gasping at the contact, Lena looked down at Kara with darkening green eyes, making the blonde swallow hard. The tension between them was escalating fast, both being afraid that if they moved, they were going to start a fire they weren’t going to be able to put out.

Lena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, resting her forehead on Kara’s again. It took her a while to control her racing heart, but eventually Lena asked, “Will you go on a date with me?” 

And just like that all the tension was gone.

Kara beamed at her, fighting to not physically bounce with excitement at the idea. “Yes! I-I’d love to!” Kara said, gently easing Lena to her feet. “I-I’m sorry about picking you up like that… I don’t- I don’t know what came over me.” She laughed awkwardly, trying to hide her blush. 

“Hey,” Lena said, gently cupping Kara’s cheek to make her look up again, “It’s okay, I really liked it… I guess dating a superhero comes with a lot of perks, huh?”

Kara grinned, thankful that Lena was being so accepting of her being Supergirl. “So…about that date….”

“Yes! Date!” Lena shook her head, focusing back on their plans. “Shall we say at seven tonight?” she asked, suddenly feeling a little bit nervous. It had been so long since Lena had been on a date, let alone a date with a person she actually had feelings for.

“Seven sounds perfect!” Kara said, smiling brightly at Lena. 

Suddenly, the ground started to shake, sending Kara into high alert. 

“Earthquake?” Lena asked, holding on to Kara.

Using her x-ray vision, the hero scanned the horizon, noticing a building was on fire. “No, an explosion.” she explained, before changing into her Super-suit in a blink of an eye. “I have to go,” she said, offering Lena an apologetic smile.

“Of course.” Lena smiled brightly, proud to see Kara in her superhero suit. “I’ll pick you up at seven?” 

“No need.” Kara surprised Lena by pulling her into one more kiss, “I’ll drop by your office.” With a wink, Kara flew out Lena’s house and shot towards the explosion.

——

Lena had already paced her office a few times, looking at the clock every few minutes. Kara was late, and it wasn’t like her to be late. Her mind was taking Lena into bad places, making her wonder if Kara had changed her mind, if she had come to her senses about dating a Luthor, when her attention was caught by the news anchor saying on the tv:

“Reports are just in. Supergirl is helping firefighters put out a four-alarm fire in an oil refinery on the outskirts of National City. Things look tough, but Supergirl seems to be making a difference out there; firefighters would not be able to control the flames if it weren’t for National City’s resident hero!”

Finally letting out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding, Lena sat at her desk and decided to go over a few contracts while she waited.

About an hour later, Kara shot through the air as fast as she could until she reached the L-Corp building. She hovered above Lena’s balcony and tapped on the glass.

The smile that Lena gave her when she turned around and saw her, knocked the air out of Kara’s lungs. She watched as Lena made her way to the balcony, opening the door and casually leaning on it, “Busy night for Supergirl, huh?”

“You wouldn’t believe it!” Kara sighed. “I’m so sorry I’m so late.”

Lena smiled softly at the hero, shaking her head slightly, “You don’t need to apologize, Kara. It’s your duty to save the world. Besides-” she said walking over to Kara, “I’m proud to see you out there.”

The words made Kara blush, her hand twitching slightly with the need to fix the glasses she wasn’t wearing. “Ready for our date?” she asked, floating closer to Lena.

“W-We’re flying?” The expression on Lena’s face made it clear that she wasn’t too excited about the idea.

Kara chuckled. “I got you, I promise.” she said, offering her hand to Lena.

The CEO looked into Kara’s eyes, and she knew she had nothing to worry about. Once she took Kara’s hand, the superhero swept her off her feet and carried her bridal style up into the night sky.

They flew slowly, almost just soaring through the sky, and when Kara realized Lena was starting to get comfortable, she said, “Flying is my favorite super-power. Whenever I’m overwhelmed, I come up here and watch the city… It helps me clear my mind, put things in perspective, you know?”

Lena hummed in agreement, actually starting to enjoy how beautiful National City looked from up there. 

A minute later Kara landed on top of cliff that overlooked the entire city. Lena noticed the hero had really prepared for the occasion: there was a picnic blanket laid on the grass, a few takeout containers, a bottle of wine and two glasses. “You certainly know how to impress a girl.” she said, kissing Kara lovingly before the hero had the chance to put her down. 

Kara kissed Lena back, smiling against her lips at the compliment. “I’m trying my best.” she finally said once they had pulled back.

They sat down and Kara poured the wine while Lena opened the food containers. They talked about everything while they ate: more about Lena’s childhood, her wild stories from boarding school, details about krypton, how Kara was actually older than Superman and had actually changed his diapers… And when the conversation would die down, they found themselves content to just lay next to each other under the stars.

When Kara realized Lena’s breathing was starting to get steady in that telltale way before someone fell asleep, she said softly, “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

She flew a little bit faster this time, not wanting Lena to stay up longer than she needed to. “Here we are, Miss Luthor.” Kara grinned as she eased on to the ground in front of the CEO’s house.

“Thank you for tonight, Kara. I think it’s safe to say it was the best date I’ve ever had.” Lena said biting her lip.

“Mine too, to be honest.” Kara breathed out a sigh of relief, happy that she had managed to take Lena on a date she had enjoyed.

“Kara?” Lena called, her voice low, sounding almost vulnerable. When the hero looked into her eyes, Lena ducked her head for a second to gather her courage and then she looked back at Kara, “I know we’ve only been on one date, but… Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Yes! Yes, I will!” Kara squealed, surprising Lena by picking her up and twirling them around in the air before coming back down. Lena was laughing with Kara, feeling just as giddy as her.

“Well,” the superhero said, walking Lena to her front door. “I guess I have to say goodnight to my girlfriend.” Rao, that sounds so right! Kara thought, biting her lip.

Hearing Kara call her that, to hear her say my girlfriend, made Lena’s breath catch in her throat. The whole day had gone so perfectly that it made Lena feel bold, “You don’t have to say goodnight right now…” she blushed slightly, looking at Kara with her intense, and yet clear green eyes. “Would you like to come in?” she said, offering Kara her hand.

The hero swallowed hard, a thousand thoughts rushing through her mind. But taking a deep breath to calm herself, Kara smiled timidly at Lena and nodded, “I would love to.” she said, taking her girlfriend’s hand and following her inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> author’s note: balcony scene inspired by a drawing made by @lesly-oh on tumblr.


End file.
